This is page numbers 1921 to 1954 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was honourable.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I’m advocating strongly for the elders in terms of doing the right thing for our people in communities. How long have we been trying to get elders into our education system? There have been so many doors closed in their faces.

Mr. Speaker, I want again to say to the Minister that you have an opportunity and the Assembly here has an opportunity to do the right thing and get the elders into our schools. The doors have been slammed in their faces by the federal government,

the territorial government. The PTR system might be an avenue that would say: yes, we will have elders in the residences. They are dying out fast.

I would ask the Minister again: would he strongly push this department to have elders in our school system? It’s long overdue, and it should be done as soon as possible. Not more years to study. Would the Minister commit — hopefully within the life of this government or sooner — to implement a PTR into our education system for elders?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

One of the areas we’re looking at for the elders is…. They are currently being penalized for working in the schools, because of their pension being deducted. We’re doing what we can as a department of the GNWT to remedy the situation. We need to utilize their service. That’s what we’ve been hearing when we visit the schools and the communities.

At the same time, we do hire quite a number of elders in the schools as required to conduct on-the-land programs. We’ll continue to do that as well. With the PTR, like I said, Mr. Speaker, we’ll have that discussion at the departmental level. In order to proceed forward, we need more discussion in that respect.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Before I go on to the next item of Orders of the Day, the Chair is going to call a short break.

The House took a short recess.

The House resumed.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

We’ll return to Orders of the Day. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 5.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

The Member is requesting unanimous consent to return to recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Unanimous consent granted.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery (Reversion)
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery (Reversion)

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Today I’d like to recognize Ms. Allison Baetz and Ms. Caroline Kaufman from Inuvik. I know both their parents. Welcome and thank you for being here for this week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery (Reversion)
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery (Reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister of Transportation regarding operations and maintenance of Highway No. 4. Can the Minister tell me:

1) What is the total length of the all season

section of Highway No. 4?

2) What is the total paved or chipsealed section of

Highway No. 4?

3) What was the Department of Transportation’s

O&M budget for Highway No. 4 for the 2004–05, 2005–06 and 2006–07 fiscal years?

4) What is the total number of full-time residents

on Highway No. 4 according to the last census?

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

My question is for the Minister of Public Works and Services.

1) What have been the costs of the resupply of

fuel this year by community, and what is the cost per litre by fuel type for each community?

2) Are there still communities to be supplied, and

if so has the fuel already been purchased and at what cost per litre by fuel type for each community?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to the opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures is pleased to provide its Report on Matters Referred to the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures. In a letter dated January 15, 2008, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Hon. Paul Delorey, referred a request from Mrs. Jane Groenewegen, Chair of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning, to the Standing Committee

on Rules and Procedure. The Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning expressed concern with regard to the government’s response to formal motions made in the House in response to direction from a standing committee.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures is tasked with reviewing such requests and may offer recommendations, including changes to the rules of the Legislative Assembly.

In a letter to the Speaker dated December 6, 2007, the Priorities and Planning Committee pointed out that in most cases it has been the practice of previous governments to respond to motions made by standing committees by corresponding directly with the appropriate committee rather than providing a public response in the Assembly. The members of the Priorities and Planning Committee believe that a formal motion passed in the Assembly requires a formal response tabled in the Assembly. They refer to Rule 42(10), setting out the government’s responsibility to respond to petitions as a suggested course of action.

In discussing the issue, members of the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recognize that any correspondence received by committees from the government in response to a motion would be considered privileged and in many cases confidential. It would therefore be a breach of the rules of the Legislative Assembly to share that response with the public.

In their discussion members of the committee felt it would be advantageous to have the government respond publicly through a motion adopted by the House. The committee felt that this would provide the public with a logical conclusion in situations where a motion was adopted by the Assembly after public debate on the floor of the House.

It became clear to the committee that it would be necessary for a motion to be worded in a manner that would require the government to table a response. In those cases, where a motion is adopted that offers general support to a principle or organization or which is outside the responsibility of the Government of the Northwest Territories, there would be no requirement for a response included in the wording of the motion.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures offers the following recommendations for the consideration of the Members of the Legislative Assembly:

Recommendation No.1

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that Rule 49 of the rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended by adding the following as section 49(3):

A motion adopted by the House and requesting a response from the government will require the government to table such a response within 120 days or at the earliest opportunity subsequent to the passage of 120 days.

Written questions

In a letter dated March 27, 2008, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Hon. Paul Delorey, requested that the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures review Rule 39 of the rules of the Legislative Assembly and provide some clarification and recommendation on the length, format and procedure that should be used in putting forth written questions.

The Speaker requested clarification in order to provide proper direction to the Members of the Assembly and to ensure that the business of the House can proceed in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

It was agreed by the members of the committee that the purpose of a written question was to pose a question which would be likely to require a detailed or complex answer or an answer that would not reasonably be assumed to be within the present knowledge of the Minister. A written question is intended to obtain information for the Member, not to supply that information to the House.

Examples of written questions that were discussed by committee members included such things as detailed statistical analysis, information requests on specialized or technical matters and requests for information that would require input from regional offices.

It was noted by the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures that there are presently no rules governing the length and format of written questions and that there have been instances of members improperly posing written questions in an effort to extend debate on issues or asking a written question that should more properly have been raised during oral questions.

There are ample opportunities for Members to pose their questions in question period or to ask their questions on a subsequent day.

Members agreed that the use of written questions has strayed from the intended purpose and offer the following recommendations for consideration by the Members of the Legislative Assembly:

Recommendation No. 2

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that Rule 39 of the rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended by adding the following:

39(3): The Clerk shall ensure that the written

question conforms with the Rules and practices of the House.

39(4): A written question may only contain the

one initial question and four supplementary questions.

39(5): A Member may only have five written

questions on the Order Paper at any one time.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that this Committee Report 2-16(3) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order.

Motion carried; Committee Report 2-16(3)

referred to Committee of the Whole.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Committee Report 2-16(3) will be moved into Committee of the Whole. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Tabling of Documents
Tabling of Documents

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the Ministerial Benefits Policy.

Document 7-16(3), Ministerial Benefits Policy,

tabled.

Tabling of Documents
Tabling of Documents

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

I wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Annual Report 2006–2007.

Document 8-16(3), Health and Social Services

Annual Report 2006–2007, tabled.

Tabling of Documents
Tabling of Documents

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Pursuant to section 21 of the Human Rights Act, I wish to table the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2007–2008.

Document 9-16(3), Northwest Territories

Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2007–2008, tabled.

Tabling of Documents
Tabling of Documents

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 27, 2008, I will move the following motion.

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that this Assembly formally move to conduct an Executive Council accountability review process within the next 12 months whereby the Premier and Members of the Executive Council shall report to and be accountable to Members of the Legislature on progress to date and plans for the remainder of the term of the 16th Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, October 27, 2008, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Tabled Document 7-16(3,) Ministerial Benefits Policy, be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS Section 23.(1) of the Human Rights Act provides that the Commissioner, on the

recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, shall appoint a Director of Human Rights to carry out the responsibilities set out in the Act;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management is tasked with recommending an individual to the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly is prepared to make a recommendation to the Commissioner;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Ms. Thérèse Boullard of Yellowknife be reappointed as Director of Human Rights during good behaviour for a term of four years by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories as recommended by the Legislative Assembly.

AND FURTHER that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of appointment to the Commissioner.

Motion carried.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.